Introduction to streaming media servers

1. Streaming Media Server
Streaming media refers to the media that transmits audio, video, and multimedia files over the network.
A typical feature of streaming media is to compress continuous audio and video information and place it on the network server. Users can download and watch the video, instead of waiting for the entire file to be downloaded. Due to the superiority of streaming media technology, this technology is widely used in video-on-demand, video conferencing, distance education, telemedicine and online live broadcast systems.
As a sign of a new generation of Internet applications, streaming media technology has developed rapidly in recent years. The Streaming Media Server is the core system of streaming media applications and a key platform for operators to provide video services to users. Its main function is to collect, cache, schedule, and transmit and play media content. The main performance of the streaming media application system depends on the performance and service quality of the Media Server. Therefore, the Streaming Media Server is the basis of the streaming media application system and the most important component.
Streaming Media Servers: High-concurrency video servers, live streaming time shifting servers, P2P live broadcast servers, and video interaction application servers video application management: media content management systems, H. 264/MPEG-4 coding tools, set-top box terminal management system, program navigation and publishing system.

2 Flash Media Server (flash Streaming Media Server)
2.1 concepts
The Flash Media Server (MS) is a new platform for communication between users. It integrates the features of Flash multimedia interaction, it also adds new features such as real-time audio, real-time video, and real-time data stream. With this platform, you can store recorded audio and videos over the network, or share data objects, these audio, video, and shared data objects can be transmitted to multiple clients for real-time synchronization and sharing. The platform integrates communication and application functions. It provides audio sharing, video sharing, and shared data stream on the client through Flash Player (Flash Player 6 or higher, it provides a richer user experience.
2.2 transmission protocol
The real-time communication protocol (rtmp) is used in the FMS. rtmp is an unencrypted TCP/IP protocol designed to transmit audio, video, and data at high speed.
You can capture (or even record) the video and audio streams on the user client using the FMS. Information is transmitted to the client (flash player on the user's computer) through the real-time messaging protocol (rtmp) protocol in the FMS ). When a Flash video application needs to use the FMS, The Flash Player connects to the server, which provides a steady stream of information between the Flash Player client and the FMS, network stream ). Other users can also connect to the same FMS to receive information, update data, and audio and video. These are all "Network streams ".
Features 2.3
The function platform of the system consists of two parts: the server provides the communication mode, and the flash video application (SWF file) provides the end user interface. You can use the flash creation tool to create a Flash video application as a development environment. The video application uses the service provided by the FMS (that is, the Flash Communication Application on the FMS ). Sometimes you can write a server script to add new functions to the communication application, and use the server script to control the sharing status information more flexibly, it can also be used as a Load balancer to adjust the real-time interaction between multiple users.

3. Open-source Streaming Media Server: red5
Red5 uses Java to develop open-source flash streaming media servers. It supports: Converting audio (mp3) and video (FLV) into playing streams; recording client playback streams (only FLV); Sharing objects; releasing live streams; remote calls. Red5 uses rtmp (real time messaging protocol) as the streaming media transmission protocol. In some of its examples, it demonstrates some basic functions such as online recording, flash streaming media playback, online chat, and video conferencing.
Red5 is an open source flash server written in Java that supports:
Streaming audio/video (FLV and MP3)
Recording client streams (FLV only)
Shared Objects
Live Stream Publishing
Remoting (AMF)